Hasidm On Vacation

A rich Gerrer hasid brings his family to Israel for its yearly vacation.

They stay with non-Orthodox relatives. The hasidim refuse to eat with these relatives – even though the relatives purchase all new dishes for them – and otherwise behave abominably.

If that were the whole story, I wouldn't bother posting this. But there is one more piece to the story that…

…makes posting it justifiable: the Gerrer view of pritzut, sluttishness:

Haredi cover-up
By Neri Livneh

I was 8 years old when I first heard the word prutze angrily hissed at me by my uncle Leibo from Germany. A nasty man who terrorized his four children and his wife, Aunt Raitze, a lovely woman in a wig whom you'd think, after all she went through as a teenager in the camps, wouldn't be fazed by anything anymore. Anything except the frightening religious self-righteousness of the man she married at the end of the war and who, to my father's dismay, also made them live in the land of the Nazis, who had done such a thorough job of annihilating their six siblings and their spouses, dozens of nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, cousins and, of course, their parents.

In her beautiful handwriting, and in Yiddish, Aunt Raitze would inform us every year of their plans to come stay with us for a visit in the summer. For this purpose, they would gather their three grown children (two sons and a daughter) from the far corners of Europe (for fear of assimilation, they had been sent away from the big city where their parents lived to Haredi boarding schools in remote towns) and the youngest daughter, whom the father had kept at home, and come to camp out in our house, a three-room apartment with an enclosed balcony.

When the signal was given, i.e., at the moment when my father mustered the courage to inform my mother about the upcoming visit, she would kind of lose it for a little while. Once she finished, gently and in minute detail, voicing her opinion about the hinyoks (a disparaging Hebrew term for very religious Jews) in general and the Diaspora hinyoks in particular, and especially the hinyoks who were so lacking in self-respect that, out of all the countries in the world, they had stayed in Germany, she would switch gears from talk to action. Put the housekeeper to work for extra hours cleaning every corner of the house, buying separate sets of dishes for meat and dairy, getting new linens that hadn't been touched by any chametz on Passover, and preparing pre-cut toilet paper for Shabbat.

All this effort, only to find that the family wouldn't touch anything aside from a hard-boiled egg in the shell, tea in a glass cup, canned foods with the Badatz kashrut stamp and dairy products in their original packaging, especially chocolate milk that they'd prepare from a special powder that dissolved in cold milk (they brought the powder to Israel with them in a yellow-and-blue metal box, a wondrous thing that was unknown in this country at the time). They never offered us even a tiny taste of the magical chocolate milk, which left me no choice but to sneak spoonful after spoonful of the sweet powder one night, until it was all gone.

Uncle Leibo, though he was one of the most generous contributors to the Gerrer Rebbe, whose Hasid he was, was also a terribly stingy person. Germany was located in that place called "overseas," which it took practically a miracle to get to, and everything that came from there - a hand-me-down skirt, a pair of galoshes or Nesquik chocolate powder - was like a sacred souvenir. Once, one of our neighbors went on some secret mission to Europe, by ship of course, and when he returned a month later he brought gifts for all the children on the street. And there were a lucky few among us who periodically received packages from relatives in America. But from our relatives in Germany we never saw so much as a shoelace or a bar of chocolate, although once my uncle did offer to buy me a long dressing gown.

This was after he saw me one night on my way to the bathroom, while he was still sitting with my parents at the dining table. I was 8 years old and wearing pink cotton pajamas with a picture of Mickey Mouse on them. Leibo was utterly aghast. The girl, he said to my father, is going around like a prutze. My mother didn't know Yiddish, but she understood the word prutze perfectly well, and that set her off. How, she said to my father in pure Hebrew, can an 8-year-old girl look like a slut? It takes a special kind of mind for that, the mind of a pervert. Tell him that the skullcap is burning on the head of the pervert. He didn't say anything, of course.

I thought of Uncle Leibo last week, when I saw on television the dedication ceremony for the Bridge of Chords in Jerusalem, and the report about the craziness that seized Haredim in the city at the thought that 13-year-old girls would be dancing in this needless ceremony. Yehoshua Pollack, the Haredi deputy of the Haredi mayor of Jerusalem and heir apparent to the job, was heard saying that the secular in Jerusalem, in their ignorance, apparently "don't know that girls are prutzot."

The Haredim threatened to hold protests that would ruin the ceremony, which cost about half the annual culture budget of the Jerusalem municipality. Mayor Uri Lupolianski was very concerned, and so a compromise was reached whereby "the sexual identity of the dancers would be obscured" - i.e., the girls would dance covered in wide, floor-length robes, so that the shape of their bodies would not show, and their hair would be all gathered under a black wool hat "without a strand peeking out" as the choreographer informed them to their astonishment. And the black hat was to be covered by the hood of the robe, as if these weren't young girls, but rather Franciscan monks.

Parents were horrified. One father said it was like a Taliban regime and that every secular Jerusalemite should be outraged. Shuki and Yaniv Hoffman, founders of the Mehola Dance Center and its choreographers, both secular Jerusalemites, also talked about how the secular public in Jerusalem needs to wake up. But instead of announcing the cancellation of this circus, Shuki Hoffman gave in, and when the girls under her command protested the order to hide their hair under wool hats, she silenced them, saying, "It's not our decision." Secular members of the city council also urged the secular public to wake up before it's too late, but as usual in Jerusalem, no secular folk thought of boycotting the ceremony or organizing even a small and symbolic protest. Not to mention causing a real fuss.

Perhaps the secular were afraid of wrecking the ceremony in honor of the bridge, which looks like an enormous sail stuck between the stone buildings of the Haredi Givat Shaul and Kiryat Moshe neighborhoods. It is about as necessary there as a marina, and so perfectly encapsulates the condition of the city's secular - suspended by strings from the sky, may God have mercy on them.

The Gerrer view of sex, love and marriage.

Comments

[Isaac Balbin]

On what basis do you conclude that this is the Gerrer view as opposed to the allegedly (and if true admittedly) rather rough and uncouth manner of conduct towards others by a Gerrer Chossid?
Do you contend (without evidence) that this is likely to be the mode of behaviour of most Gerrer Chassidim?
Perhaps, based on this "logic" you might also conclude that German Jews are misers?
Perhaps, based on this "logic" you might also conclude that Gerrer Chassidim who stay with less observant family will display these attitudes?

[rebitzman]

++Do you contend (without evidence) that this is likely to be the mode of behaviour of most Gerrer Chassidim?++

I am afraid I have to agree with you, Isaac. This post seems to insinuate that the bad actions of one can be used to paint the entire group - and I'm not of the opinion that this is a leap we can make.

I'm Conservative - and I assure you that we too have our share of A-holes, and have no desire to be associated with or judged by the actions of this minority.

[Shmarya]

Try following the links.

[Shmarya]

Also try to process the simple fact that the last three Gerrer rebbes sheltered Mondrowitz and the current one also shelters Leizerovitz.

[Tehiya]

It's ridiculous to compare 13 year old girls with 8 year old girls. Eight year olds are indeed children, while 13 year olds have begun puberty, are physically developed, and sexually interested. It is crazy to call an 8 year old girl a slut for wearing mickey mouse pajamas, but it is equally crazy to pretend that 13 year old girls wearing skimpy outfits are not dressed provocatively. Secular parents who don't see a problem with their teenage daughters dressing this way are the ones who have the problem, not the haredi people who correctly point out how inappropriate it is.

[rebitzman]

++not the haredi people who correctly point out how inappropriate it is.++

Correctly?

It's generally none of their damned business AND hallachically they nearly ALWAYS go about in a way that is an absolute violation of Torah.

In order for an admonition to be aligned with Torah, the chiding has to be gentle, not presented in a way that is "holier than thou", PRIVATE, and only given if you believe that it will be effective.

Nothing described reaches that standard - neither does throwing rocks at cars on the Sabbath - throwing feces at Sefer Torahs being carried by the Masorti - beating up couples on the bus for sitting together - yelling "f*ck you, bitch" at women in Jerusalem because they have the audacity to wear a kippah - or throwing acid at little girls because you don't like how they are dressed....

There is NOTHING "correct" about the way the Right in general points out the "inappropriate".

[rebitzman]

++Try following the links.++

I did - and still don't see the point of this post. But hey....it's your blog, dude.

[Shmarya]

Really?

And you see no connection between a group of hasidim that forbids all foreplay (this is anti-Shulkhan Arukh, BTW), forces women to walk behind rahter than beside their husbands, and has all sorts of bizarre and restrictive sexual taboos and a member of that same group who finds an 8 year old girl in Mickey Mouse PJs to be "slutty"?

[Arthur]

Shmarya
Do you scour the net to find anything derogatory on black-hatters??
You find an article written by a secular woman with a subjective view point and try and prove what exactly???

How do you use one person to paint a whole group and how do you use Holocaust survivors with their mental maladies caused by extreme suffering to represent anyone?

You and the arse-hole from Theantitzemach.blogspot.com make a good couple, both of you are so fiercly partisan and paranoid.

[Shmarya]

Gerrer sexual insanity PRECEDES the Holocaust, Arthur.

What you also do not seem to know is that the worst child rapist in known American Jewish history is a Gerrer hasid. He fled to Israel and has lived for the past 20 plus years under the protection of various Gerrer rebbes.

Other Gerrer pedophiles have fled to Israel for that protection, as well.

[Isaac Balbin]

Shmarya, I'm lost for words. What next? You will bring us an article about a pervert and tell us it's because society accepted 13 year old Brook Shields in pretty baby?

[rebitzman]

++and a member of that same group who finds an 8 year old girl in Mickey Mouse PJs to be "slutty"?++

Sorry - no.

Articles that support and outline the first half of your response to me - OK. Articles about the bad acts of single individuals - not so much.

Again - the man was a jackass, and the family idiots for allowing him to stay (even AFTER such an affront so it would seem) - but I don't wish to be judged by the equally reprehensible actions of Richard Marcovitz, Charles Shalman, or David Kaye. All former Conservative rabbis.

[Archie Bunker]

This is of course a one-sided story brought to you by the likes of the anti-religious Haaretz, which is then spun even further by Shmarya.

Prutza does not translate as "slut". The word means immodest.

Shmarya should also brush up on his dikduk. Prutzot is plural for prutza. "Pritzut" is the adjective he is looking for.

[paul]

Rebitzman says:

"There is NOTHING "correct" about the way the Right in general points out the "inappropriate"."

How can you point to isolated events and say that they reflect the Right in general.

Even assuming that everything you say is true, I can tell you that I spent eighteen years deep in the Chareidi world and several years in Meah She'arim. I never witnessed any of the things you mentioned.

They may be true events, but they are not "the way of the Right".

[rebitzman]

++Even assuming that everything you say is true, I can tell you that I spent eighteen years deep in the Chareidi world and several years in Meah She'arim. I never witnessed any of the things you mentioned.++

Then you need to get out more - because I witnessed or was in the middle of damned near everything mentioned.

The rest was reported in the press.

[rebitzman]

++How can you point to isolated events++

How can you call the events isolated might be the better question.

[Reader]

rebitzman: you said "and only given if you believe that it will be effective."

But obviously it was effective since they caved in to the demands.

[rebitzman]

++But obviously it was effective since they caved in to the demands.++

You'll have to show me where it says that - in the version posted above the girl's mom calls the uncle a pervert.

[rebitzman]

++Prutza does not translate as "slut". The word means immodest.++|

There is translation - and there is meaning.

It may mean immodest in your dictionary - but we both know that prutza = harlot on the street.

[reader]

Um, I was talking about the dance troupe.

[reader]

Um, I was talking about the dance troupe.

[rebitzman]

++Um, I was talking about the dance troupe++

Why?

No one else was - that seems rather clear.

[paul]

Rebitzman:

"throwing rocks at cars on the Sabbath - throwing feces at Sefer Torahs being carried by the Masorti - beating up couples on the bus for sitting together - yelling "f*ck you, bitch" at women in Jerusalem because they have the audacity to wear a kippah - or throwing acid at little girls because you don't like how they are dressed...."

"you need to get out more - because I witnessed or was in the middle of damned near everything mentioned."

Give me a break! The events may have happened, but if you were there for all of them you're a major jinx.

[reader]

"++not the haredi people who correctly point out how inappropriate it is.++

Correctly?

It's generally none of their damned business AND hallachically they nearly ALWAYS go about in a way that is an absolute violation of Torah."

Tehiya, whom you responded to, definitely WAS talking about the dance troupe!

You said "In order for an admonition to be aligned with Torah, the chiding has to be gentle, not presented in a way that is "holier than thou", PRIVATE, and only given if you believe that it will be effective."

Like I said, it obviously did work, and they must have had some inkling that they would succeed in convincing them. They also did it in private (tho the media later reported it), and I don't know if there's an objective way to say if it was "gentle" or not, but the dance leader would probably say it definitely wasn't.

Now stop playing games with me and pretending I'm talking about something I'm not, and just answer the objection.

[rebitzman]

++Tehiya, whom you responded to, definitely WAS talking about the dance troupe!++

I think you need to learn to read - the discussion was overtly and obviously about the uncle and his niece.

That you appear to have been embarrassed for making a mistake doesn't actually alter that fact at all.

[rebitzman]

++Give me a break! The events may have happened, but if you were there for all of them you're a major jinx.++

Paul - you ability to dishonestly edit to make a point is absolutely astounding.

The next sentence - the one AFTER your clip read?

[Archie Bunker]

On the religious "street", there are several words for harlot / slut but prutza is not one of them. Among the secular, it is not likely that any group is using the word prutza at all.

Stop trying to justify every misfired fart that emanates from Shmarya and Haaretz.

[Archie Bunker]

Ok, so Shmarya changed the spelling to the more gramatically correct "pritzut" but still misrepresents the meaning of the word, as does Haaretz.

[reader]

"I think you need to learn to read - the discussion was overtly and obviously about the uncle and his niece."

NO IT WASN'T.

To quote Tehiya, she said: "but it is equally crazy to pretend that 13 year old girls wearing skimpy outfits are not dressed provocatively. Secular parents who don't see a problem with their teenage daughters dressing this way are the ones who have the problem, not the haredi people who correctly point out how inappropriate it is. "

She was talking about the DANCE TROUPE, which is full of 13 yr old girls dressing provocatively! That's it. Now stop playing games, you spinster.

[phil]

ou needs to be investigated by by the feds that is their books and there board of directors by the IRS. They continue to back those who are against the torah, so how can we trust them that ou stands for KOSHER.
We also need to demonstrate in mass at their office in new york. WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THE MONEY THEY COLLECT? How much do they take in a year and what are their salaries? Backing child molesters is not acceptable and backing the rubashkin's is shamefull.let'get to the bottom of these fakers busines manuvers.

[black with two sugars, please]

It is impossible to know why that Ger, Hasidic German acted as he did. If his misbehavior resulted from the influence on him of something he belongs to, I guess that the something is Germany, not Ger Hasidism.

In every group, there are people who are polite, rude, and in-between. The proportion of Germans who are rude is much higher than among other groups.